Who would you study under?

[yenling83]

1. If you could study under 3 people who lived in the United States, who would they be?

2. What about same question, but just in California?

3. Do these people actually teach on a regular basis? and what type of format do they do it in? Do you know what they charge?

Thank you

 

[irene_b]

1. If you could study under 3 people who lived in the United States, who would they be?

2. What about same question, but just in California?

3. Do these people actually teach on a regular basis? and what type of format do they do it in? Do you know what they charge?

Thank you

Q #1 Boon, Boon, Boon
Q #2 Boon
Q #3 Yup visit his website for that info...
Irene

 

[Victrinia Ensor]

Dan Robinson, Kathy Shaner, Suthin Sukosolvisit...

Dan... because he's a naturalistic bonsai artist who works on the best collected material, with a strong emphasis on working/creating deadwood.

Kathy... because she's a great teacher and she has a lot of American flavor tempered with Japanese principals.

Suthin... because I think his work is wonderful, and I'm give to understand he's as kind a gentleman as one could hope to meet.


They all do the curcuit. Of them, only Kathy is in CA... She's connected to one of the main bonsai displays there... you can google it.

 

[irene_b]

Dan Robinson, Kathy Shaner, Suthin Sukosolvisit...

Dan... because he's a naturalistic bonsai artist who works on the best collected material, with a strong emphasis on working/creating deadwood.

Kathy... because she's a great teacher and she has a lot of American flavor tempered with Japanese principals.

Suthin... because I think his work is wonderful, and I'm give to understand he's as kind a gentleman as one could hope to meet.


They all do the curcuit. Of them, only Kathy is in CA... She's connected to one of the main bonsai displays there... you can google it.

I thought Dan didn't teach?

 

[Rick Moquin]

1. Robert Steven
2. Don't live in CA
3. Dan Robinson

Because I have a penchant towards the Chinese flair for bonsai.

 

[greerhw]

Can we move this to the bar.............

keep it green,
Harry

 

[yenling83]

Dan Robinson, Kathy Shaner, Suthin Sukosolvisit...



Kathy... because she's a great teacher and she has a lot of American flavor tempered with Japanese principals.



They all do the curcuit. Of them, only Kathy is in CA... She's connected to one of the main bonsai displays there... you can google it.

How can you study under Kathy? Will she take the general public as a student? What format does she do, something similar to boon? Does she do private day long lessons-know the cost?

 

[PaulH]

I'm pretty sure Kathy would do private lessons. several members of our club have a workshop with her and about four students every few months. I don't know what she charges but $500 - $600 a day is typical for bonsai professionals.

 

[Concorde]

Guy Guidry, Peter Adams and Walter Pall for sure.

 

[Martin Sweeney]

yenling83,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. If you could study under 3 people who lived in the United States, who would they be?

In no particular order, Dan Robinson, Gary Marchal and Boon. Not sure if any would have me though!

2. What about same question, but just in the Carolinas? I can't speak for California.

Arthur Joura (NC), Randy Clark (NC) and Ken Duncan (SC), again no particular order

3. Do these people actually teach on a regular basis? and what type of format do they do it in? Do you know what they charge? Gary has appeared before our local club. I believe that is how he does most of his teaching, but I am not sure.

Regards and interesting question. I changed my answer a couple of times, and left off a bunch of people.

Martin

 

[grouper52]

It's interesting to me to see three votes for Dan Robinson. I do know that he teaches. I do know that he doesn't mind having students, but don't use the terms "Sensei" or "Master" in his presence!

If you just come by and say "I want some lessons", he will just have you hang around with him while he goes about what he does, talking all the time. I don't know his exact rates these days, but that sort of teaching could get very expensive very quickly, and you might be frustrated by his teaching style, which is not classically didactic at all. But the impact can be profound, even in a short time, even if you wouldn't think so at the time. Vic or Eric might know his current rates for that sort of teaching. You'll get the most out of it if you are not a raw beginner.

You could just come by on a weekend and find him in the garden. He is constantly striking up conversations with visitors as he goes about his business. If you already know some basics, and just listen and watch and ask a few reasonable questions, you could learn an enormous amount in just a few minutes, then follow it up with a tour of the 250 trees in the garden to drive some of the points home and get some further inspiration, and "chat" with him some more as he works on a tree. Price of admission to the garden is $8.50 I think. I have a friend who spent twenty minutes stopping by, introducing himself, helping him unload a tree from the bed of his pickup out in the parking lot, and talking about the tree while they did so. The impact on his enthusiasm and direction in bonsai has been profound.

Vic and Eric have been fortunate enough to have been accepted as unofficial apprentices for several years now. I don't think Dan either pays or charges them, but they work and learn there all the time in an immersion situation. There is another fellow who does this as well, but less often I think. I think that is the best way, but he will not accept you into this sort of arrangement unless he thinks you are really ready and willing. If he gets a hint that you are just wasting his time, you're out.

Vic and Eric can say more about this whole thing. Hopefully they will chime in.

Hope that helps.

 

[Victrinia Ensor]

Grouper is right... We neither pay nor are charged, but instead it's a commitment forged over years of working with him most every weekend without exception. I have no life...lol and I am totally cool with that. At this point, it's just a family thing.

Dan's general charge is somewhere in the neighborhood of $80 an hour, and most of that would be heavily focused on teaching carving, and styling principals. I believe he will also arrange for great material to be available as well... but that is extra of course.

He isn't for the faint of heart, but you'll learn more from him in an hour than you would from nearly anyone else.

The crazy thing, is that if Daniel and I could marshal an army of enthusiasts who wanted to learn, and work on great trees... we would do it, and it would be teaching in trade for work. We talk about it fairly regularly. People who seem to have a good understanding of bonsai, and the right level of commitment to the art have been invited to come to learn and work on trees.... but few ever materialize. I think people are just scared of touching the trees... I know I was in the begining, and so was Eric... though I think it was a little easier for Eric, he had me to teach him the ropes of Daniel's teaching style and expectations... I had to figure it out on my own. lol

I never cease to be honored to have such a friend and mentor as Daniel, it's not the common experiance of most bonsai enthusiasts, and I know it... though I wish it was.


Kindest regards,

Victrinia